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Brother's Keeper
"Brother's Keeper" is the pilot episode of Miami Vice and the first episode of the first season. The episode (and series) premiered on September 16, 1984. Summary A NYPD Homicide Detective and a Miami Vice Detective team up to catch a murderous drug dealer named Calderone. Plot In New York, NYPD Officer Ricardo Tubbs is on a stakeout for a Colombian drug dealer. After chasing away some would-be muggers, he follows the dealer into a bar, where he pays a waiter to spill his drinks to force him into the men's room, where Tubbs hopes to meet him. After Tubbs heads that way, one of the dealer's goons has an altercation with Tubbs that allows the dealer time to escape before Tubbs can get there. In Miami, Vice Detective James "Sonny" Crockett is waiting with his partner, Eddie Rivera (Jimmy Smits), who is concerned about his pregnant wife Maria, and how he doesn't want her to work in a restaurant to support their family. They meet up with Corky, a minor dealer with Colombian connections for a deal. However, he has gone on his own and is no longer with the Colombian, and meet up under a bridge to review the product. Crockett drops his sunglasses after getting out of the car, as he picks them up, he notices the car is rigged with a bomb when the trunk is opened, but it explodes before Crockett can warn them, killing Corky & Eddie. Crockett briefs Lt. Lou Rodriguez (the Vice Division boss) on what happened, and is convinced the mysterious Colombian dealer is behind the deaths and that there is a leak somewhere that is allowing the Colombian to escape Crockett's clutches every time he gets close. Crockett then visits the resturant where Maria works to tell her about Eddie, and she breaks down. Due to all this, he's late for his son Billy's birthday party, where his friend Scottie Wheeler (Bill Smitrovich), a DEA agent, and his soon to be ex-wife Caroline (Belinda Montgomery) were waiting. Crockett & Caroline discuss his career and how incompatible it is with their marriage, and Crockett goes to check in on Billy, but Caroline finds Billy asleep in Crockett's arms and shuts the door. Crockett meets up with Leon Jefferson (Mykel T. Williamson) who demands to see the Columbian because of the deaths of Corky & Eddie, he refuses to set up that meet but agrees to the original deal, which will be set up. Meanwhile, Tubbs (down from New York) is trying to set up a deal with Wheeler (posing as a dealer) to see Calderone (who is the dealer from New York), and Tubbs leaves him a phone number, where he gets a call for a meet that night. Crockett & Leon boat out to meet for the deal, they meet Wheeler & Tubbs. Before the deal goes down the police show up, Leon & Tubbs flee, Leon is caught, but Tubbs takes off in Crockett's cigarette boat. Crockett pursues in his car and eventually catches Tubbs. Crockett identifies himself as Miami Vice, Tubbs identifies himself as NYPD. Later, Rodriguez says Tubbs (under the name of Rafael Tubbs) is in Miami on NYPD priority clearance looking for a Columbian drug dealer named Calderone who has killed two NYPD policemen, and as it turns out the same dealer is responsible for several drug-related murders in Miami. Rodriguez suggests they work together, as they are after the same person. Tubbs goes to Crockett's boat, the St. Vitus Dance, brings a copy of his surveillance photo, and is introduced to Crockett's "watch-gator", Elvis, former mascot for the Florida Gators college football team. Crockett leaves to join Wheeler downtown in court for Leon's bond hearing, and is released on his own recognizance for his "cooperation" with the District Attorney--a ruse designed to make Leon beg for protective custody, knowing that Calderone will kill him for cooperating with anyone in law enforcement. Leon calls OCB and Rodriguez has Crockett & Tubbs meet him on the beach. Tubbs followed Leon to the beach, however a cross-dresser kills Leon before anyone can speak to him. Crockett & Tubbs agree to a "temporary" working arrangement. Crockett & Tubbs go to Leon's apartment (using a tire warranty as a fake search warrant) and find the place ransacked, however Tubbs located an address book with phone numbers which they take to OCB to do backtraces on them. Tubbs said Leon changed cabs several times without any tails but his, meaning the leak in the department told the hit person where Leon was. Crockett asks Gina to do a check on Tubbs to see what comes up. Since Tubbs has all the money from the blown deal, Calderone's lieutenant, Trini DeSoto (Martin Ferrero), calls to set up a meet with him & Crockett in a nightclub later that night. At the nightclub, Crockett & Tubbs enjoy a night of partying with Gina & Trudy, during which time DeSoto shows up and introduces Tubbs to Calderone. Tubbs reluctantly shakes his hand, then after he leaves Gina tells Crockett that Rafael Tubbs was killed in the shootout with Calderone three weeks earlier in New York. Gina & Crockett return to the St. Vitus Dance for a night of passion. The next morning, Crockett wakes up to find Gina gone, then confronts Tubbs with the information, and threatens to "light up his whole intestinal tract" if Tubbs doesn't tell him who he really is. Tubbs finally reveals he is Ricardo Tubbs, and he is in Miami (using forged NYPD documents) to avenge his brother Rafael's murder by Calderone. DeSoto calls and sets up the meet for later that night. Crockett has OCB complete the backtrace on the numbers in Leon's address book ASAP, for his eyes only, and plan the bust, then Gina gives Crockett the cold shoulder and finds that during their passion Crockett mentioned his ex-wife's name instead of Gina's. Crockett leaves her a rose later as an apology. Meanwhile Tubbs gets a call from DeSoto moving up the meet to during the day, and he goes to the meet place, in an alley. Crockett gets the backtrace results and finds his best friend, Wheeler, is the leak, as his number appeared in Leon's book. Tubbs kills the cross-dressed DeSoto, then Crockett heads to Wheeler's house to confront him with the evidence. Wheeler admits he received $70,000 from Calderone three months ago, with "compliments", and took the money to help pay for his handicapped son's mounting medical expenses. Then DeSoto started calling him wanting information, which he provided, and undermined Crockett's search. Crockett goes ballistic, choking Wheeler because he caused Eddie's death and he broke his trust. Crockett & Tubbs then drive to the meet with Calderone, before arriving Crockett calls Caroline, just to ask if what they had was real. Caroline answers yes, then they go to the meet. Calderone's men begin shooting at the Vice cops, Calderone finds himself staring down Tubbs' double barreled shotgun, Tubbs--though tempted--did not shoot the unarmed Calderone, and they take him to jail. Before transferring him to a different prison, a judge (that Calderone bought) got him out of jail and he fled in his seaplane, with Crockett & Tubbs watching him fly away. Tubbs decides to pursue a career in "Southern law enforcement" and remain in Miami. Notes * Olivia Brown was listed as a guest star in the pilot, though in the series her name will appear between John Diehl & Gregory Sierra/Edward James Olmos' names in the opening credits. * Bill Smitrovich would return in Season 2's opener "The Prodigal Son" as a lead DEA agent. * Jimmy Smits would go on to star in the classic cop series NYPD Blue. * The scene where Crockett & Tubbs drive to meet Calderone through the Miami night to the music of In The Air Tonight is often listed as one of television's best moments. * Martin Ferrero would be seen in the series as Izzy Moreno, Crockett & Tubbs' informant. * This episode aired on Sunday night before moving to its' normal Friday night at 10pm time slot for "Heart of Darkness". When aired in syndication (currently on Sleuth Channel) "Brother's Keeper" is aired as two parts instead of a single two hour episode. The show (in its' entirety) aired as part of a three hour Miami Vice block (including clips from the Colin Farrell/Jamie Foxx movie version) in July of 2006 on NBC. * The scene where the team plans together a bust is seen frequently through the early episodes, but gradually disappears in the later episodes. Music *"Miss You" by Rolling Stones (opening during Tubbs' stakeout) *"Body Talk" by The Deele (in bar where Tubbs & Calderone are) *"Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell (Tubbs in strip club) *"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper (Leon at beach) *"All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie (at nightclub) *"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins (Crockett & Tubbs driving to meet w/Calderone) Quotes *"5000 street corners in greater Miami, and he has to pick ours!" -- Crockett *"The last time I reported in I nearly got shot to death by Bluto & Lee Harvey Oswald over there!" -- Crockett referring to Switek & Zito *"Three months on this case and guess what, three of the people at the deal turn out to be cops!" -- Crockett to Rodriguez *"My badge says Miami, but here lately it's been looking a lot like Disney World!" -- Crockett to Rodriguez *"Tell me, Dubbs, are you down here for some value to the taxpayers, or are you just working on your tan?" -- Crockett to Tubbs *"A glowing testament of our Constitutional right to bear arms!" -- Judge Summer Rupp after the power failure during Leon's hearing *"When it gets personal, it gets messy, and when it gets messy, the wrong people get killed, Capiece?" -- Crockett to Tubbs about his purpose (revenge) for being there *"Hey, Tubbs...ever consider a career in ''Southern law enforcement?" "Maybe, maybe!" -- Crockett and Tubbs at the end of the episode Categories:Miami Vice Season 1 Episodes